About GREEN Solar Academy

Who we are

GREEN provides solar short courses of excellent quality
paired with a strong network!

Our Vision and Mission | About GREEN | GREEN Approach | Our History | Why choose GREEN?

The GREEN Vision and Mission

GREEN Solar Academy, Africa’s premier training institute for solar power, has a vision to create Africa’s largest network of solar installers and to make renewable energy accessible for all.

We achieve our goals by training and equipping our exceptional trainers to train and equip solar installers through practical and theoretical training. We connect alumni to each other and to the industry, bridging the gap between solar installers and manufacturers and distributors, and creating and shaping standards and policy for solar installations.

About us: Independent Training Institute

The GREEN Solar Academy PTY Ltd. is an independent training provider and a spin-off of the maxx-solar academy. Our academies follow the German DGS SolarSchool approach and all academies and courses are accredited by the German Solar Energy Society (DGS).

GREEN stands for Global Renewable Energy & Efficiency Network as our goal is not only to provide training but to build up a network of PV installers all over Africa. GREEN is the link between manufacturers, wholesalers, associations and PV installers, our alumni.

Our services are:

  • Global Renewable Energy & Efficiency Network
  • Photovoltaic training courses in our academies
  • In-house and customised photovoltaic training courses
  • Solar training consultancy (training programme development, training of trainers, curriculum and TTLM* development)
  • Project management

* Teacher Training and Learning Materials

The GREEN Approach

The GREEN Solar Academies are centrally organised and locally implemented following the approach of the German DGS SolarSchools. The GREEN Solar Academy PTY Ltd. develops the training programme, trains all trainers and manages the local GREEN Academies. The task of the individual academies is to conduct the course in their regions with local GREEN-accredited trainers. This approach guarantees:

  • Uniform course content at all locations
  • International recognition
  • Local capacity building
  • Local ownership

The approach of all trainings through the GREEN Solar Academy is to be as practical as possible. All courses place considerable emphasis on hands-on exercises to not only teach theoretical knowledge but practical application. GREEN training follows modern teaching methods, such as interactive sessions, learning questions and different types of self-tests to ensure optimal learning effect. The training programmes are product-neutral and are continuously updated to keep pace with market requirements and trends.

By involving industry partners at course level, we make sure that there is always a practical connection to the industry. After training more than 4500 PV installers in Africa, we have built up a strong and widespread network that includes, amongst others, installation companies, EPCs, manufacturers, consultants, public and governmental players.

We encourage the participants to exchange and network from the beginning of their training course. For many participants, training is the first step towards a successful business, and we offer several complementary services to our alumni to help them grow. Read more about the GREENetwork here.

GREEn unique Approach

Our History

The Beginning

The story started in 2011, when a German solar company, maxx-solar & energie, and a German NGO, the German Solar Energy Society DGS, joined forces to promote the use of solar energy in South Africa. Together they founded a company called maxx | solar energy (Pty) Ltd.

maxx-solar & energie brought its experience as a photovoltaics service provider, including the planning, construction and maintenance of residential, commercial and agricultural PV power plants to the company. The German Solar Energy Society DGS brought its international experience in solar training programme development and implementation and its independent training programme to the company and to South Africa. As solar energy was still in its infancy in South Africa, this 2 in 1 solution was perfect to develop the market. Between 2011 and 2020, the jointly-founded maxx | solar academy trained over 2000 participants in Southern Africa.

maxx-solar inauguration Pretoria

Inauguration of the maxx-solar academy in Gauteng, 2012 at AHK Pretoria

Adjusting to a Growing Market

By now, the solar industry has left its niche and more and more people are working in the industry. Newcomers, professional, experienced solar technicians, craftsmen and students are looking for specific training opportunities. In order to meet this demand, maxx-solar energy PTY Ltd decided to set up an online training programme. The maxx-solar online academy would offer webinars that drew on its 15 years’ experience in the solar industry and its international network of experts.

The maxx-solar training centres, which offered face-to-face training since 2011, continued under the GREEN Solar Academy banner from 2020. The GREEN Solar Academy PTY Ltd. is a spin-off of the maxx-solar academy under the direction of Antje Klauß-Vorreiter and Vivian Blümel. The GREEN Solar Academy is 100% independent and local. The training on offer focuses on practical application and is adapted to the respective countries. Trainers are mostly solar technicians themselves who have gone through an extensive Training of Trainer program.

solar basics training at giz

Training graduates in Mozambique

Bringing People Together – GREENetwork

With the further development of the training, maxx and GREEN wanted to provide their alumni and the PV industry with offers tailored to different needs. Together, we are pursuing the goal of training many people, helping them find employment and thus making a noticeable contribution to climate protection and the global energy turnaround.

Since 2012, we have been training solar installers in the whole of Africa and with the maxx-Alumni we have built up the largest network of solar installers in Africa. To give installers a voice and connect the industry with installers, the GREEN Solar Academy founded the GREENetwork, which is open to maxx and GREEN alumni. Together, we are united by the goal of advancing the solar electrification of Africa.

networking solar industry

Sunrise Intermediate off-grid Training in Mozambique for giz

Why choose GREEN Solar Academy

We are different

You benefit from the combined knowledge and experience of the many different brains that work on the development of our training courses: men, women, solar engineers, electricians, business owners, project managers, solar beginners and experts. This diversity is what makes GREEN trainings so successful, and thinking the same as our clients do means you receive the training that’s really needed in the industry.

We make you learn

All our trainers work in the field, so the information you learn in our courses is 100% relevant. We know that your time is valuable and limited – every minute counts – so we select our course content carefully and employ the psychological tricks guaranteed to make you really learn. The course content has been refined and perfected for over 11 years and is internationally accredited. Your training includes many exercises and activities to make the knowledge stick in your mind long-term!

More than just training

Your training is combined with contact to the industry and manufacturers, and a strong network. This creates the perfect basis whether you’re wanting to enter the solar industry for the first time or seeking optimisation of your existing business. Our service to you doesn’t end with the course, because we know the industry and the challenges that are awaiting installers. GREEN Alumni Network is Africa’s largest network of PV installers and we invite all our alumni to join and make use of the potential!

Training of Trainers

Our goal is to deliver excellent trainings, so we pay great attention not only to what’s on the slide but also how it is presented. All our trainers are carefully selected and trained regularly. They not only possess the technical knowledge required but also the ability to transfer that knowledge in an interesting and interactive way, to facilitate and optimise the learning process of every participant.

For every course and skill level, we have the right trainer. Marius Geldenhuys is our master trainer for design and PV simulation software. He runs his own company Adaptive Solutions which focuses on PV project design, software solutions, and energy efficiency. Click here to read more about Marius and the other trainers who will guide you on your solar journey.

Join the GREENetwork, book a course today.

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